Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 01, 2025
HACU Honors 7 Leaders Advancing Hispanic Higher Education Success
TLDR
- HACU's recognition of partners like Dominion Energy highlights corporate advantages in supporting Hispanic education through enhanced reputation and talent pipelines.
- HACU will present seven awards across categories including Hall of Champions and Awards of Excellence during its November 2025 conference in Colorado.
- HACU's awards program advances educational equity by recognizing leaders and institutions that expand opportunities for Hispanic college students nationwide.
- CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez becomes the first Latino to lead the nation's largest urban university as a 2025 Hall of Champions inductee.
Impact - Why it Matters
This recognition matters because Hispanic-serving institutions play a crucial role in addressing educational disparities and creating pathways to economic mobility for underrepresented communities. As the Hispanic population continues to grow significantly in the United States, the success of these institutions directly impacts national workforce development, economic competitiveness, and social equity. The honorees represent diverse sectors—from higher education leadership to corporate partnerships and government support—demonstrating the collaborative effort required to ensure educational access and success. Their work helps create a more inclusive higher education system that better serves our increasingly diverse nation, ultimately strengthening democracy through broader participation and opportunity.
Summary
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has announced seven distinguished honorees who will be recognized for their exceptional contributions to advancing opportunities for college students, particularly within Hispanic-serving institutions. The awards ceremony will take place during HACU's 39th Annual Conference, themed "Championing Hispanic Higher Education Success: Forging Transformational Leaders to Uplift Democracy and Prosperity," scheduled for November 1-3, 2025, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado. As the nation's leading voice for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, HACU has been instrumental in securing support from federal, corporate, and higher education communities for programs that advance educational opportunities, including the nationally recognized HACU National Internship Program, HACU Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo, and Enlace Mid-level Leadership program.
Among the honorees, Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, the eighth chancellor of The City University of New York (CUNY), will be inducted into HACU's Hall of Champions for embodying the Association's mission through his exemplary contributions to higher education. Dr. Matos Rodríguez leads an institution serving nearly 240,000 degree-seeking students across 26 New York City campuses with a $4.1 billion operating budget, focusing on student equity, career opportunities for graduates, and innovative academic offerings. His appointment marked a historic milestone as the first educator of color and first Latino to lead the nation's largest urban university. Additional award recipients include Dr. Tito Guerrero receiving the Lifelong Leadership Award, Community College of Aurora earning the Outstanding HACU-Member Institution Award, GlobalEdu Consortium receiving the Exemplary International Partner Award, Dominion Energy being honored with the Outstanding Private Sector Partner Award, New Mexico Higher Education Department Cabinet Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez receiving the Outstanding Public Sector Partner Award, and Virgilio Barrera being recognized with the Alicia Casanova Award. Readers can download a PDF of the HACU 2025 Awardees through the NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE platform.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by Noticias Newswire. Read the original source here, HACU Honors 7 Leaders Advancing Hispanic Higher Education Success
